Brown



G. W. BROWN.

WELL CAPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12. I921.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

iitiiTED STATES GEORGE WASHINGTON BROWN,

PATENT OFFICE.

OE GRAFTON, (VEST VIRGINIA.

WELL-CAPPING- DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, Grouse lVAsruNc'roN BnowN, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Grafton, county of Taylor, and State of lVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVell-Capping Devices, of which the following is a specification,

This invention relates broadly to gate valves, and more specifically to a capping apparatus for oil and gas wells.

The primary object of the invention 1s to provide a device designed for application to the tubing of an oil or gas well below the upper end of the-latter, whereby the flow of oil or gas may be readily cut off, or capped, irrespective ofthe pressure of the flow.

As is well known, it sometimes happens that when awell is drilled in, oil is discharged from the well under extremely high pressure, as-in the case of what is known as a, gusher, or gas at very high pressure is discharged. In either such case, much difiiculty-is encountered in connecting the well with a storage tank or reservoir, and this frequently, results in a large wastage or loss being sustained before the well is under control.v

The present invention is directed to a structure by means of which the flow from the well may be stopped promptly and with little or no danger to the workmen.

A further object is to provide a wellcapping apparatus which may be conveniently operated from a point located at a remote, and consequently safe, distance from the well.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the features of construction, arrangement of parts and combinations of elements which will hereinafter be fully described. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in wh1ch Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention;

.Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same; and

Figure 3 is an end elevationof the valveoperating mechanism.

Referring to said drawings, 1 indicates the upper end of a pipe which, as is customary, is located exterior to, or in embracing relation, to the upper end of the well casing (not shown). Said pipe has its upper end received in the under side of the head portion of a heavy valve casing 2, preferably Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar, 1 1, 1922,

1921. Serial No. 484,334.

.the tools are suspended in the well.

Slidably disposed in the valve chamber 4; is a valve 5 which is adapted to be shifted horizontally across the open space between the ends of the pipes 1 and 3 to a position in which the upper end of the latter is wholly closed against the passage of gas or fluids.

Located within the valve chamber 4c at opposite sides of the vertical, passage through the casing 2 are longitudinally extending members 6 which are integral with and depend from the upper wall of said casing. Said members have their under faces gradually inclined upwardly and rearwardly to correspond substantially with the inclination of the upper surface of oppositely disposed ribs 7 formed on the top of the valve 5, said members 6 and ribs 7 being designed to coact, one on the other, in the mannorof companion wedges, to effect the close seating of the valve in well-sealing position when said valve has reached the limit of its advance movement.

Suitably attached to the rear end of the valve is an actuating rod 8 which extends horizontally outward through the rear end of the valve casing, a suitable stufling box 9 and packing gland 10 being provided to prevent leakage.

Rigidly attached to and extending rearwoardly from the rear end of the casing are parallel frame members 11, and rigidly connecting said frame members adjacent to the outer ends of the latter are two relatively spaced transverse bearings, each comprising a pair of members or bars 13 and 14 disposed in superposed relation and having their middle portions forming hearings in which are journaled the opposite neck portions 15 of a rotatable hub 15 which has fixed thereon intermediate said neck portions a ratchet wheel 16. Said hub has a threaded longitudinal bore extending there through in which is received the correspond.

ingly threaded outer end portion of said rod 8, it being designed that the rod shall be advanced and retracted through rotation of said hub.

Loosely embracing the hub at opposite sides of the ratchet wheel 16 are collars 17 formed on the ends of the parallel end mem bers 18 of a bifurcated lever 19 which has a pawl 20 pivotally mounted between said members and disposed in operative relation to the toothed periphery of said ratchet wheel. Attached to said lever 19 is one end of a retractile spiral spring 21 which has its opposite end attached to a fixed part of the structure, as to the end of a laterally extending arm 22 bolted to one of the frame members 11, and which is designed to normally hold said lever in the laterally-swung inclined position shown in Fig. 3 in which it rests upon an upright stop 23 whereby the extent of movement induced by said spring is limited. 7

Attached to theupper end of said lever 1.9 is one end of a cable 24 which extends thence in a direction opposite the spring 21 and to any convenient distance from the well. As is obvious, forward swinging movement of the lever effected through tractive force applied to the cable 24 produces, through the pawl 20 engaged with a tooth of the ratchet wheel, forward rotation of said wheel and of the hub 15 by which said wheel is carried; and forward rotation of said hub effects a slight advance movement of the rod 8 for advancing the valve 5 toward its operative position within the casing 2. Upon release of the actuating force applied through the cable to said lever, the spring 21 actuates said lever to return toits initial position. Repeated actuations of the lever, as aforesaid, gradually effects the shifting of said valve to the position indicated.

What is claimed is 1. A well-capping device comprising a valve casing having vertically alined pipe sections attached to the upper and under sides thereof and opening into the interior thereof, the lower of said pipe sections being adapted to occupy embracing relation to the upper end of the well tubing, a gate valve slida-ble within said casing into and out of closing relation to the upper end of the lower of said pipe sections, a rod at tached to said valve and projecting outward from said casing, the outer end of said rod being threaded, a ratchet wheel having an internally threaded hub in which said threaded end of the rod is received, stationary hearings in which said hub is journaled, a lever carrying a pivoted pawl in engagement with said ratchet wheel, resilient means normally holding said lever in retracted position, and means for admncing said lever to effect rotation of said wheel whereby said rod is advanced for positioningsaid valve.

2. A well-capping device comprising a valve casing having vertically alined pipe sections attached to the upper and under sides thereof and opening into the interior thereof, the lower of said pipe sections being adapted to occupy embracing relation to the upper end of the well tubing, a gate valve slidable within said easing into and out of closing relation to the upper end of the lower of said pipe sections, a rod at tached to said valve and projecting out ward from said casing, the outer end of said rod being threaded, .a ratchet wheel having an internally threaded hub in which said threaded end of the rod is received, stationary hearings in which said hub is our naled, a lever carrying a pivoted pawl in engagement with said ratchet wheel, resilient means normally holding said lever in retracted position, and a cable attached to said lever and adapted to have tractive force applied therethrough for advancing said lever against the tension of said resilient means for effecting forward rotation of said ratchet wheel, whereby said rod and the attached valve are advanced longitudinally.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE WASHINGTON BROWN.

Witnesses:

R. M. PARRIsH, MARGARET DUFFY. 

